This invention relates generally to a training aid for short golf swings such as putting and chipping. In particular, this invention relates to a training aid to improve short golf swings by employing proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation, i.e., to create "muscle memory" for reproducing a proper stroke. With the use of this aid, the muscles of a golfer are trained to reproducibly generate a proper golf head alignment and pendulum or piston swing, resulting in a more accurate and consistent stroke.
There have been several attempts to develop similar golf aids. Most notably among these is U.S. Pat. No. 5,520,392 to Foresi et al., which discloses a training device for attachment to a putter to promote a pendulum-style swing. This invention includes a rigid, elongated member having a first end attached to the putter and a second end positioned in the user's armpit. Also of note is U.S. Pat. No. 5,150,901 to Stawicki, which discloses a training device for attachment to a golf club to prevent undesired bending of the user's front elbow. This invention includes a harness assembly attachable to the upper portion of a person's body and an elongated tubular golf club swing guiding member having its opposite ends swivelly coupled to the harness assembly and to a golf club, respectively. Stawicki is designed to provide a teaching method for full swings, i.e., for driving or hitting a ball over long distances. As pointed out by Stawicki, the device is not useful for putting since it does not constrain the shoulder/hand relationship.
While the Foresi et al. device is relatively effective to force the user to maintain the proper form during short putting strokes that require a small swing range, it lacks the flexibility needed to be used for longer putting strokes or for short chip shots that require a more substantial swing range. More particularly, when a golfer swings a golf club, the golfer's body rotates about the golfer's spine, causing the distance between the golfer's hands and shoulders to change. If the device cannot adjust accordingly, it forces the shoulder to turn out of a desired plane in order to maintain a constant fixed distance between the hands and shoulder as established by the Foresi apparatus. This action either forces an awkward hand position in order to maintain an on-line stroke or the golfer maintains a comfortable hand position but allows the club to swing off the intended line of travel. Both of these actions defeat the intended purpose of the apparatus.
Golf professionals recognize that the ideal putting stroke has two essential components. First is that the club head travels along the intended path of the golf ball. Second is that the club head should travel parallel to the surface on which the ball rests through at least the ball striking area, i.e., the cub head should not contact the ball with a descending or ascending blow. If one considers the spine as an axle about which the shoulders and arms rotate during the putting stroke, it can be appreciated that the hand-to-shoulder distance will change during the correct putting stroke. Accordingly, what is desired is a training aid that allows for variable hand-to-shoulder distance while guiding the hands and large muscles in the correct putting stroke.